Five things to know about this year’s ‘tripledemic’
The Perelman School of Medicine’s E. John Wherry and Scott Hensley discuss the season’s confluence of COVID-19, influenza, and RSV and how our bodies are responding.
(Homepage image) With a $130 billion economic impact, agriculture is Pennsylvania’s largest industry. At the Farm Show this year, Penn Vet faculty, staff, and students highlighted the integral role that veterinarians play in keeping that sector thriving.
Partnering with farmers to advance livelihoods, food, and health
At the 107th Pennsylvania Farm Show last week, with the theme “Rooted in Progress,” the School of Veterinary Medicine’s importance to the state’s agricultural industry was on full display.
AT2 cells, a type of lung cell that produces surfactant and give rise to gas-exchanging cells, can be infected by SARS-CoV-2. Research by Penn Vet scientists showed that differences in gene expression between male and female AT2 cells may help explain why older males have more severe outcomes from COVID-19 and similar diseases. (Image: Courtesy of the Anguera laboratory)
How sex differences may influence lung injury
Comparing lung cells from male and female mice, School of Veterinary Medicine scientists found gene expression differences that may explain why older males are at a higher risk than females for worse outcomes from COVID-19 and similar diseases.
Building on his interest in philosophy and his years of advising undergrads, biologist Dustin Brisson has written a guidebook to help students live a better life in college and beyond. (Image: Denise Henhoffer)
Penn prof pens guidebook for college students
Dustin Brisson of the School of Arts & Sciences consolidated notes from his years of teaching and advising to create a guidebook for undergraduates aimed at helping them achieve success and well-being.
The 10th piece for this series showcases a nurse who founded a low-cost dance studio, a staffer who fosters kittens, an HR specialist who teaches high schoolers life skills, and an English professor who volunteers for his old summer camp.
Genetic material extracted from permafrost in northern Greenland revealed the presence of a rich, warm, and vibrant ancient ecosystem in what is today a cold and rather barren landscape, offering promise for future scientific discovery based on ancient environmental DNA.
What secrets might 2-million-year-old DNA hold?
Scientists from Denmark recently extracted and sequenced the oldest-ever DNA, from permafrost in Greenland, revealing a robust ecosystem of 135 species. Penn Today spoke with four faculty members about the potential power of ancient DNA.
After a bout of severe respiratory disease, some patients never fully recover. New research from the School of Veterinary Medicine identifies a factor responsible for inappropriate tissue regrowth after infection, pointing to a possible therapeutic target.
Vijay Kumar of Penn Engineering and Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman of the Perelman School of Medicine have been named Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors, recognizing their contributions to inventions that have made a meaningful impact on society. (Images: Penn Engineering/Penn Medicine)
For ‘spirit of innovation,’ three from Penn named National Academy of Inventors Fellows
Vijay Kumar of the School of Engineering and Applied Science and Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman of the Perelman School of Medicine were honored with the recognition.
An outbreak of avian influenza is impacting birds both wild and domestic. Penn Vet researchers are helping track and better understand the disease, which has affected more than 52 million birds in the United States this year.
An evolving animal health emergency
More than 52 million birds in the U.S. have been affected by an outbreak of avian influenza. Researchers at the School of Veterinary Medicine are supporting Pennsylvania’s diagnostic work and launching new investigations to better understand the virus.
A grant from the HHMI will support collaborative work by Penn and other institutions to enhance the inclusivity of introductory STEM courses, starting with a rigorous examination of teaching in the School of Arts & Sciences and School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Penn awarded grant to promote inclusive excellence in STEM teaching and learning
With support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Penn is embarking on a six-year effort to enhance inclusivity and belonging in undergraduate STEM education.
